Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Blair, John S. 1832 -
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Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908)
JOHN S. BLAIR, of Minneapolis, made his home in Nobles county from June, 1892,
to July, 1899. He was born in Eureka, Woodford county, Ill., April 6, 1869, a
son of Leander V. and Martha L. (McGohan) Blair, who were natives of Brown
county, Ohio, and who now reside in Clarinda, Iowa. Mr. Blair received his
education in the common and graded schools of Eureka, and in 1885 was appointed
deputy postmaster of that place, which position he filled until 1889, when he
resigned to take a position with a Chicago publishing house.
In 1892 Mr. Blair came to Worthington and took employment as traveling
salesman in Minnesota and South Dakota for the Worthington Cigar company, which
firm he was with until December, 1893. The next month, in company with C. W.
Schultz, he began business under the firm name of Blair & Co., dealers in shoes.
Two disastrous fires within a year with heavy losses compelled them to abandon
the business. In December, 1894, Mr. Blair went to Adrian and joined John E.
King in the publication of the Nobles County Democrat. In June of that year he
returned to Worthington and took charge of the Worthington Globe, which he
published until 1899, when he was appointed deputy state weighmaster by Governor
John Lind and removed to Minneapolis. In August, 1901, Mr. Blair accepted a
position with the Duluth Elevator company, and is still employed by that company
in the capacity of assistant secretary.
On Nov. 27, 1895, Mr. Blair was united in marriage to Lillian C. Plotts,
daughter of Rezeau B. and Katherine L. (Slavin) Plotts, of Worthington. Two
children have been bom to them—Katherine L., born March 14, 1898, and Lee
Plotts, born Nov. 10, 1902.
Politically Mr. Blair has always been a firm believer in the principles of the
democratic party. He has had some preference in a political way. He was deputy
postmaster of Eureka, Ill., and for a time was employed in the county recorder's
office. In Nobles county he served as chairman of the democratic county central
committee four years, was a member of congressional and state committees, and
represented the second congressional district in the national convention in
1896, when W. J. Bryan was first nominated for the presidency. Mr. Blair was a
candidate for register of deeds of Nobles county in 1896 and was defeated by A.
G. Lindgren.
Mr. Blair is a member of the Masonic lodge Ark. No. 176, A. F. & A. M.,
Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America.
Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY
MINNESOTA
BY
ARTHUR P. ROSE
NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY
WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA
PUBLISHERS
1908
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